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Intrusive memories in depression: an index of schema activation?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

C. R. Brewin ,
E. Hunter ,
F. Carroll  and
P. Tata
C. R. Brewin*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London and Adult Psychological Services, North West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London
E. Hunter
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London and Adult Psychological Services, North West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London
F. Carroll
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London and Adult Psychological Services, North West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London
P. Tata
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London and Adult Psychological Services, North West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Professor C. R. Brewin, Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham. Surrey TW20 0EX.
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Synopsis

A sample of 31 male and female depressed patients was interviewed to investigate spontaneous, intrusive memories of immediate and past life events. Previous findings that depressed patients experience high frequency intrusive memories were confirmed, as was an association between intrusive memories of childhood abuse and severity of depression. Patients reported intrusive memories for a variety of other events, particularly involving illness and death. Limited support was obtained for the hypotheses that the course of depression would be related to the activation of negative memories, and that immediate life events would trigger the activation of memories of similar events from the past.

Type
Brief Communication
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 26 , Issue 6 , November 1996 , pp. 1271 - 1276
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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